Kim K basically broke the internet (well, Snapchat at least) on Sunday night, by posting a video of ‘Ye on the phone to Taylor, who appeared to be giving him the go-ahead to include some lyrics about her on his controversial track ‘Famous’.
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Ah, the glory days
FRANCIS SPECKER/EMPICS Entertainment
In the time since that already-iconic clip - shout out to Rick Rubin, who is just chilling on the sofa throughout the whole thing - was revealed, things have developed significantly.
But y’know what? We still have questions and will be leaving no stone unturned in our quest for the truth. So, without further ado, here they are…
1. Was Taylor’s statement pre-written?
Let’s start with an easy one which eagle-eyed iPhone users have pointed out. At first glance, Taylor’s lengthy post, written in the ‘notes’ app, looks perfectly normal - however, do you see where it says ‘Search’ in the corner?
This means Tay must have had it pre-written, and granted she may have drafted it then returned in the hour it took her to share it after Kim’s Snapchat truthbomb - but could it actually have been prepped long before?
2. Will this drama play out at the VMAs next month?
Please. Let. This. Happen. The MTV VMAs are a hotbed for juicy run-ins, and let’s not forget, that’s where Taylor vs. Kanye first began all those years ago. There’s a strong chance that ‘Out Of The Woods’ will bag Taylor a nomination this year, while Kanye’s controversial track ‘Famous’ - which is at the centre of all this fuss - will most likely land him on the shortlist too.
3. Did Kanye mention the ‘made that bitch famous’ line during their chat?
Kim’s video is pretty damning, but Taylor is technically right - at no point during it does Kanye utter those four words. On the surface, it does look like Tay Tay is clutching at straws a little, but she may well have a point here.
4. What does Tom Hiddleston make of it all?
The actor and Taylor have been spotted staging photo-ops enjoying romantic dates around the globe during the last month, but previously, Tom’s usually been one for keeping himself to himself. We reckon he probably isn’t too pleased about being on the fringes of 2016’s greatest celebrity spat (so far).
5. Will there be a song about it all?
Tay Tay’s well known for immortalising her previous rows in musical form, and Kanye has also referenced a number of incidents from his own personal history in raps, so one of them better pull through and turn this debacle into a chart-topper.
6. How do Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna feel about being bumped out of the spotlight?
Until now, their relationship has been front and centre on the current series of ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’, but they barely got a mention in the most recent show, which saw Kim explaining the Taylor debacle to a bemused Kourtney. Sucks to be them.
Tap the image below to launch the slideshow...
Taylor Swift And Kanye West: A Timeline Of Their Relationship
1. VMAs 2009(01 of16)
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It all began in 2009, when Kanye West made headlines all over the world by he interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs. She was collecting a prize for her ‘You Belong With Me’ music video, but ‘Ye clearly thought Beyoncé’s ‘You Belong With Me’ was a more worthy winner. The worst of it is, he famously told her ‘Imma let you finish’, and then didn’t let her finish. (credit:Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images)
2. The Fall-Out(02 of16)
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The backlash started almost immediately, with singer P!nk declaring he was the “biggest piece of shit on earth” and Katy Perry - who would later have her own beef with Taylor, and collaborate with Yeezy on the song ‘E.T.’ - tweeting simply “fuck Kanye”. The most surprising Taylor supporter, though, was Barack Obama, who called Kanye a “jackass” during an off-the-record moment, which raised eyebrows. (credit:SAUL LOEB via Getty Images)
3. 'Fame Kills'(03 of16)
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The worst part of the Kanye backlash was when Lady Gaga chose to cancel their scheduled joint world jaunt, the ‘Fame Kills’ tour, allegedly due to “creative differences”. Gaga later went on her highly successful ‘The Fame Monster’ world tour solo, while Kanye chose to take “a break”. (credit:Paul Morigi via Getty Images)
4. Kanye Picks Up The Pieces(04 of16)
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In the ensuing months, Kanye’s attitude towards the incident switched between apologetic and defiant, posting - and then deleting - a remorseful blog post on his website. However, he later suggested that Taylor had “ridden the wave” of publicity that he claimed to have created for her with his interruption, while not sticking up for him in any ensuing interview. (credit:Venturelli via Getty Images)
5. 'Innocent'(05 of16)
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Far from sticking up for Kanye, a year after the incident she performed the song ‘Innocent’ at the VMAs, which alluded to the ‘Dark Fantasy’ rapper in a number of ways, a move that was praised by some critics, but branded “bitter” and “petty” by others. (credit:Kevin Mazur via Getty Images)
6. The Reconciliation(06 of16)
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In May 2011, Kanye and Taylor came face to face for the first time at a fashion show, where it was reported that they shared a casual high-five, seemingly putting the past behind them. (credit:Gregg DeGuire via Getty Images)
7. Grammys 2015(07 of16)
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Indeed, by 2015, Taylor was on top of the world, following the release of her first purely pop album, ‘1989’, and happily posed for a photo with Kanye at the Grammys (where, at the same ceremony, he jokingly took to the stage when Beck was awarded Album Of The Year over - you guessed it! - Beyoncé). (credit:Larry Busacca via Getty Images)
8. R. E. S. P. E. C. T.(08 of16)
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Speaking about their reconciliation that summer, she explained: “I feel like I wasn’t ready to be friends with him until I felt like he had some sort of respect for me, and he wasn’t ready to be friends with me until he had some sort of respect for me - so it was the same issue, and we both reached the same place at the same time.” (credit:Michael Loccisano via Getty Images)
9. The VMAs 2015(09 of16)
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On the sixth anniversary of Kanye’s infamous stage invasion, Taylor took to the stage to introduce him at the 2015 VMAs, where she alluded to the incident before he collected his Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. (credit:Kevin Winter/MTV1415 via Getty Images)
10. Kanye Tells It Like It Is(10 of16)
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What we weren’t expecting was for Kanye to then defend the incident, explaining: “I often think back to the first day I met you also. You know I think about when I’m in the grocery store with my daughter and I have a really great conversation about fresh juice… and at the end they say, ’Oh, you’re not that bad after all!’ And like I think about it sometimes. … It crosses my mind a little bit like when I go to a baseball game and 60,000 people boo me. Crosses my mind a little bit.” (credit:Michael Tran via Getty Images)
11. 'BFFs'(11 of16)
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Still, Taylor was adamant things between them hadn’t turned sour, sharing this snap of flowers that her “BFF” had sent her, along with the hashtag #KanTay2020, referencing Yeezy’s vow to run for the next presidential election (credit:Instagram/Taylor Swift)
12. 'Famous'(12 of16)
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And then… things took an unfortunate turn, when in 2016, Kanye unveiled his song, ‘Famous’. Debuted at his ‘Yeezy Season 3’ fashion show, he’s heard rapping: “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that bitch famous, I made that bitch famous.” (credit:Kevin Mazur via Getty Images)
13. Taylor's #Squad Assemble(13 of16)
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Taylor initially kept schtum about his remarks, though her friends and family were quick to slam Kanye, including her brother, who uploaded a video of himself through his Yeezy trainers in the bin. Kanye, meanwhile, was adamant that he contacted Taylor about the lyrics, insisting she gave him the thumbs up. (credit:NBC via Getty Images)
14. 'Misogynistic'(14 of16)
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However, a representative for the ‘Shake It Off’ singer was quick to dispel his claims, saying that she would never approve a “misogynist” rap such as Kanye’s. (credit:ROBYN BECK via Getty Images)
15. Grammys 2016(15 of16)
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Taylor eventually discussed the controversy herself during her acceptance speech at the 2016 Grammys, telling her young fans not to let any man take credit for their accomplishments or, more crucially, their “fame”. (credit:Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
16. 'Fake ass'(16 of16)
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Shortly afterwards, Page Six published leaked audio of Kanye backstage at ‘Saturday Night Live’, claiming that “fake ass” Taylor had left him feeling “bummed”. The feud rolls on... (credit:GVK/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images)